As we age, keeping testosterone levels in healthy ranges is linked to better overall health. Unfortunately, life stressors, poor diet, and bad sleep tends to cause testosterone levels to drop. Aside from addressing these variables, there are supplements and dietary changes that we can make to better optimize testosterone levels (without hormone replacement).
Zinc: Zinc It is involved in various actions of cellular metabolism. It supports healthy growth and regulates more than 100 enzymes. It is highly related to our reproductive health system and assists in DNA synthesis. Zinc can be considered as a testosterone booster, which slows down the aromatase enzyme, decreasing the conversion of testosterone into androgen. Although dietary zinc is mostly found in animal products, zinc rich foods include some grains and nuts.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is actually a hormone! In a 2011 randomized controlled study, researchers found men who were given a daily high-dose vitamin D supplement significantly increased their total testosterone from 10.7 nmol/L to 13.4 nmol/L, whereas there were hardly any changes in testosterone concentrations in the group given a placebo. These findings suggest that men deficient in vitamin D who take a proper vitamin D supplement may fix low levels of low testosterone.
Fats: Studies show increases in saturated and monounsaturated fats lead to increased testosterone. Saturated fats are found in foods like eggs, red meat, palm and coconut oils, and dairy products. These fats are typically hard at room temperature, and only have single bonds between carbon atoms. Monounsaturated fats are found in foods such as olive oil and avocados, are typically liquid at room temperature, and contain one double carbon bond with the rest being single bonds.
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